GEORGE ROBINSON [I], arrived in Boston, Mass., in 1634,
from England or Wales. was born about 1633. He married MARY BUSHNELL, born
in 1638.

Their son, GEORGE ROBINSON, JR., born 1658, in Boston,
Mass.. married SARAH REED, who was born in 1665. He died in Needham,
Suffolk County, N.Y., in 1726.

Their son, GEORGE ROBINSON, III, born 1685 in Needham,
Mass., died in Dudley, Mass., in 1752. He married MARY LEARNED, born
1686, in Middlesex, Mass., and who died in Dudley, Worcester County, Mass.,
in 1750.

Their son, SILAS ROBINSON, born 1721 in Needham, Mass.,
married SUSANNAH MOORE, who was born in 1728 in Oxford Mass., and died
in Dudley, Mass., in 1792. He died in 1801 in Dudley, Mass.

Their son, MICAIAH ROBINSON, born 1765-66 in Dudley, Mass.,
married SARAH BALLARD, who was born in 1764, Middlesex County, Mass.
They later moved to Hartwick, Otsego County, N.Y. She died in 1852
in Otsego County, N.Y. He died there in 1829.

Their son, Dr. SILAS B. ROBINSON, [my
g-g grandfather], was born in Hartwick, Otsego County, N.Y., on Feb. 25,
1795. He married MARIA SLOCUM, born in 1799 in Wilkes Barre, Pa., the daughter
of Major BENJAMIN SLOCUM, (Frances Slocum's
brother).

Dr. Silas B. Robinson came into the
township in 1823, where he creditably practiced his profession nearly forty
years. So long had he lived in the township, and so well was he known for
his blunt manners, blameless life, and kind heart, even with all his pardonable
eccentricities, that his presence was welcome everywhere, and his sudden
death in 1860 widely lamented. [Page 201]

Thirty-nine years ago, in 1846, there were but two doctors
between Pittston and Carbondale, Dr. Silas B. Robinson, who died in 1860,
and the writer. [Page 458]
From History of the Lackawanna Valley, by H. Hollister, M.D.;
Fifth Edition; Printed by J.B. Lippincott Company, Philidelphia, 1885.

"Dr. Silas B. Robinson came into the township in 1823,
where, as Dr. Hollister, the historian of this valley, says, he practiced
his profession creditably for nearly forty years. Dr. Throop used
to say that Dr. Robinson often walked as far as Tunkannock to confinement
cases for very small fees." [From History of Scranton, 1914,
by Colonel Frederick L Hitchcock, "Pioneer Physicians" Page 325]

"Dr. Silas Robinson came to Providence Township in 1823.
He was born in Otsego County, New York, and received an ordinary education,
but by native industry attained a respectable knowledge of medicine
under the tuition of Dr. Stephen Wilson of Lawrence, New York, receiving
a diploma from the Otsego County Medical Society in March, 1821. From November,
1821, until March 1822, he practiced medicine at Abington, and soon afterward
removed to Providence. At this time there were only two other physicians
in the valley, Dr. Davis and Dr. Nathaniel Giddings, the latter of whom
settled at Pittston in 1783. Dr. Robinson practiced over a large extent
of country, making his visits on foot, sometimes "attending all far and
near regardless of fee or reward". He died suddenly of congestion,
January 10, 1860, having visited patients within two hours of his death."
[Page
506 of History of Scranton, Pennsylvania, by David Craft, William
A. Wilcox, Alfred Hand, J. Wooldridge, published for H.W. Crew by the United
Brethren Publishing House, Dayton, Ohio, 1891.]

Dr. Silas B. Robinson settled in the township in 1823.
Born in Otsego, New York, he had but an ordinary education; but after reading
under the direction of several prominent physicians of that State, received
his diploma from the Otsego Medical Society in 1821. There were only two
other physicians in the valley at this time, and he had a large practice,
which extended into adjoining counties. His sudden death, which occurred
from congestion, in 1860, was widely deplored, as he was a man of sterling
worth, vigorous habit, blunt manners and blameless life. [Page 94
of A Half Century in Scranton, by Benjamin H. Throop, M. D., 1895]

The following was written for an edition in a local historical
society in Hartwick, N.Y., called The Pioneers of Otsego County.

Article written by the grandson of Micaiah Robinson, Deacon
Solomon Robinson. (Micaiah, the father of Dr. Silas B. Robinson, later
of Wyoming Valley.)

In March 1792 Micaiah Robinson, a citizen of the east
part of Dudley - now Webster, Mass. - decided to emigrate to the west to
the town of Hartwick, Otsego County, N.Y., about 70 miles west of Albany,
and a distance from Dudley of about 200 miles. As he had a
wife and three children and being in midwinter so as to be able to cross
at Albany on the ice, he made the following arrangements. He
built a good ox sled of bent saplings and cloth was used for a sled covering
in which to place his goods, provisions and family and behind he tied a
farrow cow. After getting the cow shod to prevent her slipping, he hitched
up his oxen and started on his journey. When night overtook
them they put up at a tavern or private home as convenience offered; took
out their beds to lie on during the night, and their cold provisions, together
with the milk from the cow, and made a good meal. The next morning
they would start out again and so continued until they arrived at their
journey's end in about two weeks.

His wife (Sarah) endured the fatigue of the journey well
but had one constant fear of crossing the Hudson River at Albany on the
ice. On approaching Micaiah found it well frozen over and informing
his wife of the fact she, however thought the way was rough as he seemed
to make great effort to keep his team clear from the stumps.
After the crossing was over, he informed her of the safe passage over the
river to her great surprise.

[Page 94, History of Scranton, Pennsylvania] "On
a knoll just below the village of Providence now stands the low brown cottage
where Doctor Robinson commenced practice in 1823. At this time no other
practitioner save Davis and Giddings [both of Pittston,] lived in the valley,
nor was the wild region known as Drinker's Beach trodden by a physician
until long after this time." For a number of years the good doctor rode
the bridle paths, and forded the streams, and breasted the storms on his
horse in answer to calls for his services, without a rival. With the increasing
population of later years the city has enjoyed the services of men more
noted in their profession, but of none with a warmer heart or of more self-sacrificing
toil.

Proceedings and Collections of the Wyoming Historical
and Geological SocietyFor the Year 1905 Volume IX

Page 98: Pioneer Physicians of Wyoming Valley

Dr. Silas B. Robinson

Dr. Silas B. Robinson settled in Providence, Pa., in 1822
or 1823, where he practiced his profession nearly 40 years. So long had
he lived in the township and so well was he known for his blunt manners,
blameless life and kind heart, even with all his pardonable eccentricities,
that his presence was welcome everywhere and his sudden death in 1860 was
widely lamented. He was born February 25, 1795, in Hartwick, N.Y. Dr. Throop
in "Half Century in Scranton" says he received his diploma from the Otsego
Medical Society in 1821. He had a large practice in Lackawanna Valley and
neighboring counties. Dr. Hollister said of him:

During his long practice he always carried his own medicine,
which he purchased in Wilkes Barre, at the nearest drug store, 19 miles
away. He always went on foot, no matter how great the distance or urgent
the case. A colt once ran away with him and never afterwards would he ride
in a wagon. He always carried his rusty turnkeys to twist out teeth. He
had two peculiarities, one was to always read the Bible at the bedside
of his patient, and the other was his great habit of profanity. He would
rarely utter a sentence without an oath. He had no competitor in the field,
while Dr. Nathaniel Giddings, at Pittston Ferry, Dr. Andrew Bedford, of
Abington, and Dr. Thomas Sweet of Carbondale were his nearest colleagues.

From Page 88: Dr. Nathaniel Giddings:

He, (Dr. Giddings), at Pittston Ferry, and Dr. Robinson
at Providence, were the only physicians between Wilkes Barre and Carbondale.

First cottage on Lake Winola, Pa., above and near Scranton,
Pa. On thePoint," between large and small lakes. This photo was
taken previous to 1910,when the cottage was sold by Benjamin Slocum Robinson.

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must first obtain permission.

Lake
Winola, including a Postcard of The Point, showing the Robinson Cottage